Where did you sleep last night?
Monday, October 12, 2009 at 7:29 PM
The multiple changes in each version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” represent the way time can influence and alter the meaning and tone of song. Although the lyrics are almost identical in each version, there are three unique sets of emotion expressed in the way they are sung. In Bill Monroe’s version we see the tension between the comparatively upbeat tempo and the rather depressing lyrics. But with Lead Belly’s and moreover in Nirvana’s interpretations the anguish and pain of the narrator’s situation is present. Cobain’s voice clearly demonstrates the concern and even fear for what his lover has done the previous night, while Monroe’s almost masques those emotions. The themes of adultery, loneliness, and death permeate throughout the songs but are present in varying ways. Monroe’s version embodies the confrontation between lyrics and music in Folk music that Ben was talking about in lecture on Tuesday. But we can see from the differences in Monroe and Cobain’s execution the immense change in the social climate between 1956 and 1993.
Reader Comments (3)
Nathan
I thought you had a very good point when you discussed how time can change the meaning of the song. We do not just notice that in this song, but also in a lot of today's music. It seems that there is almost a fad going on with the remaking of old songs and in trying to interpret them in ones own way.
I also agree. It is so interesting how the entire meaning of a song can be changed with the expression of lyrics and the tempo of the melody. This is such a big aspect of folk songs. For example, the example you gave on how Monroe's version seems as if he is hiding his true feelings, while Cobain's version seems as if he is truly concerned. I fully support this fad of new-age artists interpreting old songs in their own way.
In your posts, many of you considered the effect Lead Belly’s spoken interjections had on the authenticity or lack thereof in his version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” Christopher Yoshonis made an interesting point when he noted the Jazz influence in Lead Belly’s interjections, implying that they detracted authenticity. Check out Christopher’s post here: (http://benleedscarson.com/by-banks-in-pines/2009/10/10/lead-bellys-in-the-pines.html). Hannah Sherman, on the other hand, felt that these interjections increased authenticity as they reflected what Lead Belly “felt and experienced.” Take a look at Hannah’s post here: (http://benleedscarson.com/by-banks-in-pines/2009/10/9/where-did-you-sleep-last-night-by-leadbelly.html). Using these examples as a springboard, what effect do you think Lead Belly’s spoken interjections have on the song’s authenticity and on the song in general? Why do you think Lead Belly chose to speak the specific lines that he did, as opposed to any other lines? And looking at the topic in broader terms, what effect do you think spoken interjections have on songs today? Feel free to post youtube links to examples of present-day songs featuring spoken interjections and to discuss these examples with your classmates!